Air governor



May 3, 1938.

C. WAINWRIGHT AIR GOVERNOR Filed March 25, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR May 3, 1938. c. WAINWRIGHT AIR GOVERNOR Filed March 25,. 1936 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR can lht

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May 3, 1938. c. wAmwRleH'i' AIR GOVERNOR Filed March 25, 1936 v 3Sheets-Shet 5 kwiwum INVENTOR Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE AIR GOVERNOR Charles Wainwright, Erie, Pa.

Application March 25, 1936, Serial No. 70,902

' 1 Claim. (01. 2s0 25) The invention relates to governor mechanismFigure 7 is a sectional view on the line EP-El and more especially togovernors for air and gas of Figure 10. compressors. Figure 8 is asectional view on the line F-F of The primary object of the invention isthe Figure 9. provision of a governor of this character, wherein Figure9 is a side elevation of a structure shown 5 the same when equipped withan air or gas comin Figure '7. pressor will enable through sequence ofsteps Figure 10 is an end elevation thereof. the unloading and loadingof such compressor, Figure 11 is a top plan view partly in section thegovernor being of novel construction and of the governor and athree-cylinder, two-stage 10 automatic in its working. air compressor inassociation with each other. 10

Another object of the invention is the provision Similar referencecharacters indicate correof a governor of this character, wherein a dropsponding parts throughout the several views in in pressure of acompressor in the complete cycle the drawings. of unloading and loadingcan be varied at the Referring to the drawings in detail, A desig- 15will of an operator and thus in this manner nates generally a housinghaving at one end a 1'5 the compressor can be rendered inoperative orshelf or support EU which may be integral or restored to normal workingcondition for deliverseparate therefrom and upon which is mounted ingmaximum output. an electric motor ll, its driving shaft l2 through Afurther object of the invention is the proa coupling 93 havingconnection with a power vision of a governor of this character, whereinshaft hi which is journaled in the housing A and the compressor isconstantly under the control extends therethrough. This power shaft I4is of the governor so that unloading thereof can be operativelyconnected with a crank shaft l5 effected in steps and likewise loadingthereof had. through the medium of reducing gears l6 and I1,

A still further object of the invention is the respectively, the shaftl5 being at right angles provision of a governor of this character,which to the shaft I i and is journaled in the housing 25 is simple inits construction, thoroughly reliable A with one end carrying a crank itwithout said and effective in its operation, automatic in the housing.working thereof, strong, durable, easy of adjust- At one side of thehousing is a feed bracket l9 ment, and inexpensive to manufacture andinwhich is in the form of a curved arm and is slidstall. ably sleeved at2|] on a lower guide 2! and at 22 30 Wit these d other Objects in V ew,the inon an upper guide 23, respectively, for horizontal ventionconsists in the features of construction, shifting motion. The bracketis formed with an combination and arrangement of parts as will elongatedslot 24 in which fits the crank I8 so be hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in that this crank will effect the shifting ofsaid the accompanying drawings, which disclose the bracket 119 on theoperation of the motor ll. 35 preferred embodiment of the invention andAt the upper portion or top of the housing A pointed out in the claimhereunto appended. is a bed or table 25 carrying a cylinder 26 in In theaccompanying drawings: which works a piston valve 21, the cylinder be-Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of the ing provided withsuitable ports and ducts. On

governor mechanism constructed in accordance the top of the cylinder 26is arranged a bellows 40 with the invention. Z8 confined within a shell29 built upon a support Figure 2 is a sectional view looking from the30. The bellows 28 operates a fulcrum pin 3| line A-A in Figure 1showing a part thereof constituting a part thereof and suitably fittingin plan. in a seat 32 provided in a vertically movable arm Figure 3 isan enlarged side elevation of the 33 adjustably pivoted at 34 to thesupport 3E! and 45 bracket of the governor for the step action ofextended through a limit yoke 35 which is also on the same. the support36 and carries an adjustable weight Figure 3A is an enlarged endelevation of the 36. The yoke 35 is a limit stop to the swing of upperportion of the bracket of the governor. the arm 33. The arm 33 at theend remote from Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line B-B the pivot34 has pivoted thereto a hanger 31 50 of Figure '7. from which depends arod 38 equipped with a Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line C--Cbearing 39 and this rod is slidable through a guide of Figure 6. 40carried by the housing A while operating Figure 6 is a sectional View onthe line D-D of against the guide is a coiled spring ll surround- Figure10. ing the said rod 38 and seated at 42 thereon. The 55 bearing 39embraces an extension 43 of a feed rack 44 which is pivoted at 45 to across head slide 46 within a guide block 41 constituting a part of thebed 25. The block 41 has arranged therein a ball spring tensionedfriction latch 48 for engagement in a series of seats 49 in the slide46.

The slide 46 through coupling 58 with a stem 5| has connection with thepiston valve 21. The stem 5| carries a pointer or indicator finger 52coacting with a scale 53 on a scale plate 54 carried by the bed 25between the cylinder 26 and the block 41 for full visibility.

The rack 44 has the upper and lower series of stepped feed teeth 55 and56, respectively, for alternate engagement by reversely acting upper andlower feed dogs 51 and 58, respectively, which are pivoted at 59 uponthe feed bracket l8 and have coacting therewith adjustable limit stops60, and tensioning springs 6|, respectively. The feed dogs 51 and 58 areinterfitted with limit stops in the form of pawls 62 which act counterto the stops 60 and function to have the feed dogs 51 and 58 positivelyengage with the step teeth on the rack 44 and eliminate the riding ofthese dogs over such teeth in their attack on the said teeth for thepositive locking engagement of such dogs alternatively in their order.

The piston valve 2'! may be built for two or more step regulations inthe working of the governor and its cylinder 26 has an internal bushing63 throughout the length of the latter, the piston valve being adaptedto work within this. bushing and at the port 64 is connected acompressed air supply which is usually the receiver of the air or gas.compressor while at the port 65 is connected one of the unloading valvesof a cylinder of the compressor while the ports 66, 67 and 68 arelikewise connected to the unload- .ing valves of other cylinders. of thecompressor and the port 69 is connected to the atmosphere or intake tothe compressor. There is provided the ports 16 in the cylinder 26 andeither of these is for connection II with the air receiver ll of thecompressor, the port 18 not connected being suitably plugged. Theseveral ports 10 are arranged for convenience in the hook-up of the airreceiver of the compressor according to location of the latter. Theports 65, 66, '61, and 68 are spaced in conformity with the dispositionof the teeth 55 and 56 on the rack 44 and consistent with the travel ofthe crank l8 on the shaft l5. Now when the piston valve 21 is moved adistance of one tooth in one direction the port 65 is shut off from theport 64 while the port 69 will be brought into communication with thesaid port '65 and the lead 12 from the port 65 allows the compressorvalve 13 to operate for unloading of the compressor cylinder 14 withwhich it is associated and on further movement of the valve 21 in thesame direction for the extent of a single tooth' of the rack 44 the port66 is shut off from the port 64 and communication of this port 56 is hadwith the port 69 so that the lead 15 to the said port 66 permits theunloading valve 16 associated with the cylinder 14 to operate for asecond step of the unloading of the compressor, the lead 15 being fittedwith a branch 11 which extends to the valve 18 for a compressor cylinder19 which is. the high pressure cylinder of the compressor. Similarly theports 61 and 68 are brought into communication with the port 68 andthese ports have the leads and 8| connected with the valves 82 of thecompressor cylinder 83 and the valves 84, respectively, one

being for the cylinder 19 and the other for the cylinder 83 for furtherunloading in sequence of these compressor cylinders for the completeunloading of said compressor. It has been stated that the cylinder 19 isthe high pressure cylinder while the cylinders 14 and 83 are the lowpressure cylinders of the compressor.

The receiver H is connected to the discharge of the high pressurecylinder 19 and this connection 85 is diagrammatically indicated as aline connected with line 85. The line 85 which is connected with thehigh pressure cylinder 19 at the discharge side thereof in connectionwith the port 64 in the cylinder 26 has fitted therein a three-way cock86 and this cock may be operated electrically through the circuit of anautomatic electric starting apparatus on the switch board 81 for themotor driving the compressor so that said cock will be actuated at thetime of the starting of the motor for a complete unloading of thecompressor until the motor will have been brought to the proper speed tohave the compressor within control of the governor. In starting thecompressor with compressed air in the receiver H if the cock 86 isturned to the proper position the source of compressed air to thegovernor is cut off and all compressed air in unloading valves l3, I6,18, 82, and 84 on the cylinders 14 and 18 will be vented to theatmosphere thereby making the compressor completely inoperative as todelivery of compressed air or in other words the said compressor will becompletely unloaded.

In the operation of the governor the compressed air from the receiver 1|through connection H enters the port 10 and thence flows into thebellows 28 which balances the arm 33 as opposed to the combined force ofthe weight 36 and the spring 4 I. This opposed force is regulated tosuit the terminal air pressure of the com pressor. If the terminal airpressure increases the arm 33 moves upward causing the lifting of therack 44 in that direction so that the dog 51 and pawl 62 will engagewith a tooth 55 of the rack 44 and movement of the bracket l9 causes thevalve 21 to be moved a definite distance for cutting oil the port 65from the source of supply of compressed air which is conveyed to theunloading valve 13 of the cylinder 14 and thereby exhausting thiscompressed air through the port 69 to the atmosphere which causes thesaid valve 13 to be inoperative and thereby cutting oil? onefourth ofthe capacity of the compressor. If the terminal air pressure stillincreases after this reduction in capacity, a similar occurrence takesplace and the valve 21 moves another definite distance and therebycausing the unloading valves 16 and 18 to go into action and therebycutting off another quarter of the capacity of the compressor. Underthis the compressor unit is onehalf unloaded. If the terminal airpressure still increases a similar action takes place and the valve 21again moves a definite distance for controlling the unloading valve 82and thus cutting off another one-fourth of the capacity of the unit. Nowif the terminal air pressure still increases the valve 21 again movesanother definite distance and thereby makes inoperative the unloadingvalves 18 and 84 and at this time cutting off another one-fourth of thecapacity of the compressor so that the compressor will be completelyunloaded and cannot deliver compressed air. When the terminal airpressure of the compressor unit begins to fall a reversal of operationjust previously described takes place. That is to say, the arm 33 dropscausing the rack 44 to come into engagement with the dog 58 and pawl 62coacting therewith whereby through a step by step movement of this rack44 the valve 21 correspondingly moves and in sequence all of theunloading valves are closed whereupon the compressor is delivering itscomplete output of compressed air. Thus the governor will control theoutput of a compressor step by step by the rising and falling of itspredetermined terminal air pressure.

The governor is automatic in its working when the motor II is operatingand the drop in pres sure in the complete cycle in loading and unloadingcan. be varied at the will of an operator. Each step of unloading of thecompressor follows in a definite sequence and these steps arecontrollable by the teeth 55 and 56 of the rack 44 coacting through dogs51 and 58 and the movement of the bracket I9 operated from the motor H.

What is claimed is:'

The combination with a fluid compressor, including a plurality ofcylinders each having a bypass valve, of a governor for effecting theloading and unloading of said compressor bypass valves in a sequence ofsteps, including a reciprocable member movable in steps in accordancewith the steps of the sequence of the loading or unloading of thecompressor, a continuously operated reciprocating member adapted toengage said reciprocable member and move it a step at a time in eitherthe loading or unloading sequence, and pressure controlled operatingmeans for effecting the engagement between said reciprocable member andsaid continuously operated reciprocating member or disengagement thereofin accordance with the pressure of fluid compressed by the compressor.

CHARLES WAINWRIGHT.

